Childcare Strategies of Double-income Families Living in Central Tokyo

KUKIMOTO MikotoPost Doctoral Research Fellow

KOIZUMI RyoNISHIYAMA Hiroyasu

KUBO TomokoKAWAGUCHI Taro

Contents

- Urban structure in Japan; long commutes- “Constraints” for working mothers;

responsibilities of work and home

- Since the 1990s , increased supply of condominiums for young families in central Tokyo

- “Family gentrifiers” / dual income families living in central Tokyo

- Elimination of working mothers’ “Constraints”?

Background of Study

Purpose of This Study

(1) The childcare strategies of dual-income families in central Tokyo

(2) Problems posed by the deregulation of childcare services

Increased need for nursery centers

Japan’s recession and employment uncertainty

The implementation of the equal employment law

Bubble economy burst

- Shortage of public/authorized nursery centers - 26,275 children on entry waiting lists(2010) - metropolitan areas and their suburbs

Tokyo’s 23 wards

- Deregulation of childcare services - Public nurseries: main part of Japan’s childcare system -> Entry regulations for management of public nursery centers were relaxed in 2000 - The number of private nurseries has increased

privatenursery centers

Population growth and the supply of condominiums in central Tokyo

9

Tokyo’s 23 wards

Central 3 wards

Central 5 wards

Central 15 wards

bubble economy burst

Property values in central Tokyo

dropped

population

condominiums 2000

1996

“3LDK” condominiums ->Water-front area

102006

1994

1999: 　 3,128 households 6,904 population↓ 　2009: 　 9,076 households 20,324 population

11

Shortage of public nurseries - more than 90 children waiting to enter the authorized nursery centers

- Many “3LDK” condominiums- Wide, flat sidewalks

Basic attributes of Respondents- nuclear families with one or two children: 91.7%- High income levels 　　 20% : 7-10 million yen/a year, 68%: 10- million yen/a year Cf. Japan’s average: 7,320,000 yen- Large company, white collar, fulltime job 54.7% of wives: over 500 employees

Childcare strategies of dual income families in central Tokyo

What is “Childcare Strategy”?- Strategy to keep working fulltime while taking responsibility for child rearing and housework- Their goal is to use public nursery centers

• Working style: short commutes - Workplaces are close to their homes - Emigrating from suburban areas: “convenience of commuting”

60 minutes to commute, crowded train

before moving into Toyosu

Workplace of husbands and wivesRed: wives, blue: husbands

Toyosu

30 minutes or less to commute

Central 3 wards

• Companies’ support- Wives use shorter work system and go home

early: 70% of wives get home before 8:00pm- 20% women can use, and 3/12 women

used workplace nurseries

• Little Support by family/parents - Little childcare support from their parents: 40-50% of

respondents’ parents live outside Tokyo metropolitan area - Most husbands cannot help <- long work hours -> Taking children to nursery/ picking them up: mainly wives - wives: 114(67.1%), wives or husbands: 49(28.8%)

Time to go home

wiveshusbands

Shortage of public nurseries and frequent use of private nurseries

- 60% of total families had waited or were waiting to have their children enter the nursery center of their choice

- 80% of answerers used or use private nursery centers

Private nurseries(subsidized by local governments) : 41%

Private nursery centers without subsidies: 39%

Wives: 11%

Parents: 6% Others: 3%

- Less grandparents’ support- Another reason

Priority of entrance to authorized nursery centers in Koto ward

- Parents’ disability or illness- Receiving public assistance, single-parent families- Families using private nursery centers for fee…etc.

Those who use private nursery centers have an advantage

Using private nurseries while waiting= important strategy to ensure they get a spot

in an public nursery centers

ID Childcare service while waiting

Fee(1.000 JPY/a month)

Income(million JPY

/ a year)

Childcare leave

(month)

21 Non-authorized(company’s support) free 20 2

33 Non-authorized(company’s support) free 10-15 12

41 Certified 1, Certified 2 65, 45 10-15 -

72 Non-authorized, Certified 80, 70 10-15 14

130 Non-authorized 1Non-authorized 2

14080 10-15 6

164 Non-authorized(company’s support) 52 15-20 7

171 Non-authorized 110 10-15 12

176 Non-authorizedcertified

6060 15-20 12

196 Non-authorized 1Non-authorized 2

8060 15-20 10

Expensive fee

High Income

Shortening Childcare leave

• Class disparity of childcare opportunities in ToyosuUse of private nursery - Middle class: 35.7% - upper class: 52.9 - upper high class: 47.1

Longer waiting termMiddle

class

Waiting period

- Shortage -> competitive to enter the public nursery- Getting priority by using private nursery

- Short commutes<- living in Toyosu- Shorter work days

Conclusion 1

- Very little

- Shorter work system- Workplace nursery

Suburb area- Long commutes- Shortage of childcare services- Fewer private services- Fewer job opportunities

Central area- Condominiums supply- Short commutes- Many private services- Many job opportunities 　　　　

Class disparity of childcare opportunities

Balance work and home

Conclusion 2Gentrification in Tokyo -> attractive for young families

- Shortage of childcare services- Deregulation of childcare services

Thank you for your attention!

Appendix

Childcare Services in Japan 　(1) Public/authorized nursery centers : welfare- Fulltime; 8 hours at least- With meal(lunch) service

(2) Kindergarten: education- Only in the morning- No meal(lunch) service

Clearly separated

For children with mothers working fulltime

For children with mothers not working fulltime

Increased need for nursery centers

others

kindergartens

nursery centers(authorized)

-Increased number of double-income families or mothers working fulltime

The number of children in each type of care (2008) 　

0 year-old 1-2 3 and over

Unit: 1,000

Children in nursery centers2,022(30.7%)

Children in kindergartens1,630(24.8%)

Children in others(ex: homes)2,932(44.5%)

180 in non-authorized nursery centers

Childcare for preschool children in Japan　

education

welfare

For children with mothers not

working fulltime

For children with mothers

working fulltime

32

- Most answered that they wanted to ensure that their children could enter the authorized nursery centers in the future

- The younger the children, the harder the competition; especially 1-2 year old most competitive

If I have to wait so long, I’m afraid I will never go back to

work…

Authorized nursery centers… - low fee; the highest is around 60-70 thousand JPY. - reduction of fee for brothers/sisters - large facility, many children

The supply of “3LDK” condominiums, 1995-2009

Number of supply

Tokyo’s 23 wards

Water-front area

Large lots<- old factory sites